Compensating device for winding machines



Nov. 1 1927. 1,6 7,198

T. J. SANDS COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed April 17, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 1 1927.

1,647,198 T. J. SANDS COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed April 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill) Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

THOMAS J". SANDS, F AUBURN, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR 'ro UNIVERSAL -WINDING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR WINDING MACHINES.

Application filed April 17, 1926. Serial No. 102,695

This invention relates to an improved compensator device for controlling the delivery of yarn or the like to winding machines or for similar uses in connection with various textile apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide a resilient-arm or member carrying a guide or eye through which the yarn or other strand draws, with said element arranged to take up the slack or to pay out the yarn in accordance with fluctuations inthedraft or pull on the strand. I

A particular object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified Which may be quickly and conveniently adjusted to vary the resiliency or flexibility ot'the compensator arm or element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified which is compact in form, simple and economical to manufacture and especially efficient for the purpose specified.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: 7 Fig. 1 is a general view showing a portion of winding machine with my improved compensator device applied to use thereon.

and illustrated in connection with a skein of yarn delivering its strand from a I'Olltlll. able swift or reel;

Ifig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the compensator device;

-Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; and

F ig. 4 is an end view of the compensator and its connected part-s, part-sectional on line44 of Fig. 2. I

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the'drawings, 2 designates a portion of the frame of a winding machine of the drum or friction drive type. In this type of machine a cylindrical drum or drive-roll 3 rotates the winding spindle or conical holder 4 onwhich the cop or'cone is wound, and the yarn 3/ is traversed back and forth along the holder by a reciprocating thread-guide 5 actuated from a helical cam 6; these parts being more 1y indicated without detail in the drawingas they are of well known construction.

The yarn or other strand to be wound into the cop or cone may be delivered from any suitable source of supplyysuch as a bobbin, spool. or skein. As herein illustratedthe supyarn draws between the rod or finger 18 ply yarn is contained in a .skein S which, in accordance with the usual practice, is stretched over. a reel 0r swift 7 to adapt the strand to be drawn off asthe reel rotates. The reel orswift 7 is provided with'an axial spindle orsuitable trunnions 8, by means of which it is mounted in sockets 9 in the ends of suitable arms 10 projecting from the up per part of the framework 11 of the wind ing machine. 7

In delivering yarn from skeins held on reels or swifts the resistance to the draft on the strand will vary considerably under different conditions. For example, when the winding or other operation is started to take up the strand the initial draftor pull on the strand will be resisted by the'iner ia of the reel. Likewise, when the strand catches under a neighboring length of yarn and becomes more or less snarled the resistanceis increased. In other cases thereel may run ahead so that the tension or resistance tothe draft is constantly fluctuating between eX- tremes during the unwinding of the yarn from the skein. In order not to subject the yarn to violent jerks and pulls, which are apt to strain and break the strand, it has been a common practice to employ a resilient compensator device or yielding element ada ted to automatically take up the slack in t e yarn when resistance to the draft is relieved and to pay out a length of yarn when the resistance is increased. My present invention relates to adeviceof this type which is embodied in a simple mechanism to adapt the compensator arm to be adjusted to regulate its resiliency or flexibility.

As shown n Figs, 1 and 2 my improved compensator device is mounted on a bracket -l5 which may form a part of, or be attached to, the frame 2 of the winding machine or other apparatus. As herein illustrated the bracket 15 is bolted to the front of the frame 2 at 16, and extending outwardly therefrom is formed at its end with ahorizontal crossarm 17. The crossarm 17 serves as a rest or guide for the strand of yarn yand cooperating therewith is'a rod or finger 18 which serves as a tension-devicefor applymg tension'to the yarn. The crossarm 17 is rounded off on its edges, and thewire rod or finger '18 ismore or less loosely connected to its top by a screw 19 and dowel-pin 12. I The and the crossarm 17 as it leadsto the threadguide 5 of the winding machine and the weight of the finger creates a resistance to its draft to apply the tension.

Before leading through the tension-device the strand 3 draws down from the skein S and is passed through the eye or hook of a thread-guide carried at the end of a resilient compensator arm or element 21. Preferably, the thread-guide 20 is constructed of porcelain or other vitreous material and is mounted on the end of a wire 22 projecting from and forming the terminal of a helically coiled spring which constitutes the resilient compensator arm 21. The op posite end of the spring or compensator arm 21 is extended in a straight length of wire 23 which is looped at its end to enclose a screw or bolt 24 projecting through the side of the bracket 15 and secured in place by a nut 25, see Figs. 3 and l. The screw or bolt 24 also serves as a means forattaching a slide or compensator regulator 27 to the side of the bracket 15. The slide or regulator 27 has a flat portion 28 which fits against the side of the bracket 15 with its upper edge abutting an overhanging shoulder or ledge 29 projecting from the front of the bracket. The screw projects through an elongated slot 30 in the re ulator 27 to adapt the latter to be slid longitudinally of the axis of the helical compensator arm 21.

At the outer end of the regulator 27 is a ring or sleeve 31 formed by a suitable extension of the metal bent into cylindrical shape. This ring or sleeve 31 surrounds and encloses a portion of the helical compen ator arm 21 and is adapted to slide therealong as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the regulator is set in the position illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 2 it will expose a greater portion of the free length of the helical spring arm'21 to render the latter of maximum resiliency or flexibility. On the other hand, when the regulator is slid outwardly, or tothe right as viewed in Fig. 2, the ring or sleeve 31 will project over the helical arm a greater distance from its point of support so that, in effect, the length of the compensator arm is shortened to reduce its flexibility. In this manner the regulator may be adjusted one way or the other by loosening. the bolt or screw 24; whereby to control the effective length of the compensator arm to regulate its degree of flexiblity in accordance with changing requirements. Where relatively heavy strand material is being operated upon the flexibility of the compensator is lessened; but where fine, light yarns are being handled the regulator is adjusted to provide a maximum amount of flexibility in order to more deiicately control the tension of draft on the strand.

It will be observed that my invention provides a particularly simple and efficient device for the purpose specified which may be conveniently adjusted to render it adaptable for different requirements of the draft on deliveringyarns and threads. The device is compact in size and economical to manufacture and is particularly eflicient in meet ing conditions for a wide range of operation on winding machines and other textile apparatus.

While my improved device is herein shown and described as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself to the exact details as herein disclosed,

i claim:

1. In a compensator device, the combination of a resilient arm, a thread-guide on the arm, and means adjustable longitudinally of the arm to regulate its effective length of action whereby to control its degree of resiliency.

2. In a compensator device, the combina tion of a laterally flexible arm, a threadguide at one end of the arm, a support for the opposite end of the arm, and means for altering the operative length of the arm to vary the extent to which it may flex.

8. In a compensator device, the combination of a flexible arm, means at one end thereof through which the yarn draws, and a ring adjustable longitudinally of the arm to hold it at different points to restrain it from flexing throughout its whole length.

4:. In a compensating device, the combination of a laterally flexible arm, a threadguide at one end of said arm through which the-yarn draws, means to fixedly support the opposite end of the arm, and means for holding the arm at different points along its Eength to regulate the extent to which it may 5. In a compensator device, the combination of a flexible arm comprising a helical coil of wire, a thread-guide at one end of said arm throu h which the yarn draws, and means adjustable to hold the arm at different points along its length to vary the extent to which itmay-flex under the pull of the yarn drawing through the guide.

6. In a compensator device, the combination of a laterally flexible arm, means at one end thereof through which the yarn draws, a slide adjustable longitudinally of the arm,

and means on the slide for holding the arm at different points therealong to vary the extent to which it may flex under the pull of the yarn.

7. In a compensator device, the tion of a laterally flexible arm, means at one end of the arm through which the yarn draws, means for fixedly supporting the: opposite end of the arm, a slide at the fixed combina ill) l Ill of the yarn.

end of the arm adjustable longitudinally thereof, and means on the slide for holding the arm at different points therealong to gvary the extent to which it may flex under the pull of the yarn.

8. In a compensator device, the combination of a flexible arm comprising a helical coil of wire, a thread-guide at one end of the arm, a fixed support for the opposite end of the arm, and a slide adjustable longitudinally of the arm and provided with a ring surrounding the latter to adapt it to hold the arm at different points to vary the extent to which it may flex under the pull 9. In a compensator device, the combina tion of a support, a flexible arm comprising a helical coil of wire, a thread-guide at one end of the arm, a screw for attaching the opposite end of the arm to the support, and V a slotted slide held on the support by the screw to adapt it to be adjusted longitudinally of the arm, said slide provided with means enclosing the coils of the arm to hold ,the latter at different points to vary the extent of its flexing action under the pull of the yarn drawing through the thread-guide.

hold it at different points to regulate the L:

extent to which it may flex under the pull of the yarn. c

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

THOMAS J. SANDS. 

